Machine for planing metal.



No. 670,!28Q 'P atsnted mar. l9, mm. W. H. IZHAPPELL. MACHINE FunPLANINGIMET'IAL.

(Applicationfiled June 28, 1899.)

(No Model.)

25 1' .az' W k Wiinsses: Even/i071 \VILLIAM H. CHAPPELL, OF PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR PLANING METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,128, dated March19, 1901.

Application filed June 28, 1899. Serial No. 722,111. O 1 06 1 T0 aZ/lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM H. OHAPPELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvementin Machines for Planing Metals, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in sideelevation of a planing-machine constructed in accordance with andadapted to carry out my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional viewthereof, taken on the line 11 11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an en largeddetail cross-sectional View of the crossrail of the planer with thetool-carrying saddle mounted thereon, illustrating the inserted strip ofhardened bearing metal for the sliding tool-supporting saddle. Fig. 4 isa diagrammatic cross-sectional view illustrating the successive lateralcuts and successively lower subsequent series of such lateral cuts asmade in the present practice of the art of planing metals. Fig. 5 is asimilar view illustrating the successively lower single cuts for thefull breadth and length as practiced under my present invention. Fig. 6is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the crossrail, showing thetool-carrying saddle mounted thereon with an intervening bearing-strip.

My invention relates to the art of planing metals; and it consists in amachine for reducing the thickness of bodies of metal of large area byuniformly removing an equal amount of 'metal at each operation in verythin layers or continuous shavings of entire width, so that at each cutthe metal operated upon is uniformly reduced in thickness at every part.

At present the usual practice in planing metal of any considerable area,so far as I am informed, is to reduce the metal by a series oflongitudinal cuts traversing the area of the piece from one side to theother, which operation or series of longitudinal cuts progressinglaterally across the metal operated upon is repeated for a sufficientnumber of times to reduce the metal to the desired thick ness, afterwhich it is rendered smooth by what is known as a finishing out, made ina similar manner. This operation involves a separate longitudinal cutfor each consecutive lateral reduction, involving complicated mechanismfor feeding the tool laterally in both directions and entailingconsiderable loss of time due to the return movement of the table of theplaner preparatory to the next cut, and when this series of lateraladjustmen ts is repeated a great number of times, as becomes necessary,this loss of time, even though reduced by accelerated speed of thereturn movement, amounts to a large proportion of the entire timeconsumed in the whole operation. A further disadvantage in this presentpractice consists in the appreciable difference of depth between thefirst and last lateral cuts due to the wear upon the tool, which toolbeing of comparatively small size is subject to rapid wear, resultingnot only in the variations in its cutting depth due to such wear, butalso in frequent necessary removals for regrinding.

By my invention the foregoing objections are entirely overcome and thework is accomplished in a much more rapid and efficient manner, whilebeing uniform and accurate throughout, thus securing very desirableadvantages in this art.

In the operation of planing metals I have found that by constructing theplaning-machine in such a manner as to afford a largely excessiverigidity and strength in the machine and in its motive power and bymaking the cutting-knife sufiiciently wide to engage the object operatedon from side to side I am enabled to remove the entire surface at oneoperation. By so controlling the downward feed of the knife as to causeit to engage but a very thin layer of metal at each operation the strainis reduced to a minimum, and to aid the operation the travel of the bedof the planer is made comparatively slow, thus relieving the tool asmuch as possible from wear and preventing undue heating.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 represents the bed-frame of the planer,upon which is mounted the longitudiually-traveling table 3, actuatedthrough the usual train of gearing (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1)and transmitting motion to the table through rack 4. The reduction inspeed through such gearing I prefer to make within very wide limits, thedifference in proportion being as between the speed of thedrawing-pulley 5 and that of the rack-gear as great as two hundred andfifty in such pulley to one in the drivinggear.

All of the proportions of the machine are made in conformity with theobjects in view, which are to always maintain the existence of a largefactor of surplus reserve or latent strength conforming to theproposition involved in the invention, which is to effect through suchmeans the removal of areas of metal greatly in excess of such amounts asare possible or practicable under the presentmethod by the applicationof the knife to such increased areas at slower speed with less incisionand with an impelling power of sufficient force, both active and latent,to insure the absolute and undeviating progress of the work withoutpossibility of hesitation, chattering, or undue strain. In conformitywith this design it will be seen that the side housings 6 projectbackwardly along the sides of the frame for a very considerable distanceand are firmly secured to the frame by numerous bolts. The cross-rail ismade of sufficient width to correspond to the other proportions of themachine, and the knife-holder 8 is made equally massive, and the knife 9is made of a height at least equal to or exceeding its efficient width,of sufficient thickness to insure ample strength, and provided with acutting-blade 10, projecting forwardly on a plane approximating to ahorizontal, so as to accomplish the cutting action as nearly as possiblein the manner of a shear.

Owing to the very considerable weight of the knife and its support,mounted on the saddle 11, which is slidingly mounted on the cross-rail7, I have provided a means for preventing undue wear of the upper edgeof the cross-rail, which means consist of a bar 12 of hardened steel setin and running the full length of the upper edge of the cross-rail. Thisbar is fitted into a finished groove, and the top of the cross-rail andtop edge of the bar are then ground down to a common level adapted toreceive the upper bearing-flange of the saddle. As the bar wears downthe softer metal of the casting will wear with it, and the pressure ofthe bar will act to greatly retard such wear. In Fig. 6 I have alsoillustrated a further modification, wherein a 2- shaped wearing-strip,12 is set upon the upper side of the cross-rail '7, forming a bearingfor both the horizontal and vertical wearingfaces of the saddle 11.

The vertical adjustment of the tool-holder proper is secured through theusual screw 13.

The traveling table 3 is slidingly mounted on top of the bed-frame 2 insuitable slideways, flat, as shown, or in the usual V-grooves.

Downwardly and inwardly projecting gibs 14 longitudinal of the tablebear upwardly against corresponding bearingfaces along each side of thebed-plate, by which means the sliding table is held securely down duringits forward and back travel in an undeviating level position. This is afeature of great advantage where excessive strain d uring the cuttingoperation is exerted upwardly by the driving-pinion in engagement withthe rack 4. It is to be noted that the return travel by reason ofwell-known reversing mechanism is at a proportionately faster speed thanthe forward or working speed, which is reduced in proportion to thecharacter of the work in hand.

The ad vantages of my invention will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art, as in this manner I am enabled to plane large surfaces at leastfour times as fast as by the present practice of transverse feedingwhich I have described, at the same time securing an absolutely fiatsurface at less cost than has been possible heretofore.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-- In a machine for planing metals, the combination ofa bed-plate provided with longitudinal bearing ways or faces, under sidebearing-faces along the outer sides of the bed plate, a travelingwork-bearing table mounted on the ways of the bed-plate and providedalong the outer sides with downwardly and inwardly projecting gibsbearing upwardly against the under side bearing-faces, a central rack onthe under side of the table, means for transmitting motion to the table,housings secured to the sides of the bed-plate frame projecting upwardlyand extending backwardly to form a substantial backing, a crossrailmounted on the front faces of the housings provided with a wearing-stripof hardened metal inserted in its upper edge, an enlarged tool-holdermounted thereon and adapted to bear on the upper edge and on thewearing-strip, a cutting-tool mounted on the holder of a Widthsufficient to extend beyond both edges of the surface to be planedhaving a cutting blade projecting forwardly on a plane approximating ahorizontahand means for vertically adjusting the tool-holder and tool soas to engage very thin shavings of metal for the full width of the metaloperated on, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM H. QI-IAPPELL. Witnesses:

PETER J. EDWARDS, O. M. CLARKE.

